PVT William Stinson Brown, USMC, Main Gate, Pearl Harbor – 1940
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CPL William Stinson Brown stands with hands on hips beside a large flowering century plant (agave) in front of a barracks building, believed to be near Barracks No. 93 at the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Hawaii. He wears a khaki service uniform and garrison cap. This appears to be a companion photograph to “Marine Military Policemen at the Main Gate, Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, August 1940” (file 0233A), which shows Brown posed with CORP George D. Hodges at the same century plant and barracks building while serving as Main Gate M.P.s; this image (file 0234A, the next frame in sequence) appears to be a solo portrait taken during the same August 1940 photo session.
Additional Notes
This photograph is from the personal collection of photographs taken by CPL William Stinson Brown while stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii before the infamous attack of 7 December 1941. CPL Brown was there during the attack. These unique photographs were donated to the COGG Honor Archive for public use of students, writers and researchers of history. The generous donation was from CPL William S Brown’s, son, William Stinson “Bill” Brown Jr. and his loving granddaughter Caitlin Brown Clancy. Note for researchers: this item’s title identifies the subject by the rank “PVT” (Private), but the companion photograph taken at the same location and time (file 0233A, “Marine Military Policemen at the Main Gate, Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, August 1940”) identifies him as “CPL” (Corporal) William Stinson Brown — consistent with the May 1940 muster-roll research documented on “Main Gate Guard, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, May 1940,” which notes Brown was promoted from Private to Corporal sometime after May 1940. Worth double-checking the original print/caption if his exact rank at the time of this specific photograph matters for research.